1. Field of the Invention
The versatile all purpose barricade structures of this invention are particularly suited for use by public utilities such as gas and electric and telephone companies and the like which often have considerable road work to do. The structures are very suitable for highway maintenance and repair. The structures may be used for warning devices of various kinds for both human and vehicular traffic.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A fairly extensive patentability search was conducted, mostly with respect to the United States patent art, and a number of references were developed. No assertion is made that the most pertinent art was developed although that was the purpose of the search. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. appeared to be of most interest: GOODMAN 1,863,442; GOLDBERG 2,059,996; BEALL 2,564,145; CARPENTER 2,995,847; WHITMAN 3,256,629; TRIGILIO 3,292,569; ALLISON 3,557,479; DALUM 3,591,116; SAYLES 3,675,613; DICKE 3,677,511; SWEET 3,740,880; ROWLAND 3,792,678; and ROSS 3,847,335. Attention is also called to Italian Pat. No. 312,607 (1933).
The foregoing patents relate to various portable safety signals, portable units having both visual and electric signals such as for traffic and the like, road sign standards, sign structures, warning devices for disabled highway vehicles, portable road sign units, collapsible sign stands and signal assemblies, portable folding warning sign standards, and foldable barricades and signs.
The known prior art devices and barricade means are quite susceptible to damage such as is caused by storms and high winds as well as by being struck by various kinds of vehicles. Many of these structures must have auxiliary supports in order to keep them properly in place and this can be both time consuming and expensive. Many of the stands have legs which provide only one position when in use. Many of the units are not nearly so portable as is desired.